Garment stretcher



Nov. 2, 1937. M. B. BROCK 2,097,809

GARMENT STRETCHER Filed Feb. 19, 1936 //VVE/V70/? War are {1217a Erna/ 5 g /[4m M Patented Nov. 2, 1937 UNi'iED stares earner or ies 5 Claims.

An object of my invention is to provide improved and simplified garment stretchers, and particularly garment stretchers in which the sweater or other garment to be stretched or dryed 5 can be placed on the stretcher without pulling the garment out of shape.

Another feature of my device is the provision of reinforcements adjacent the extremities of the device whereby garments of various sizes may be fastened to the reinforcements, thus permitting use of a fewer number of forms.

Other features of my invention may be seen or will be readily apparent from the following description of one selected embodiment of my invention which is chosen for description and i1- lustration in the accompanying drawing, at the end of which description the novel features of my device will be specifically pointed out an claimed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of my device.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

In the chosen embodiment of my device, the garment stretcher is shown as consisting of two duplicate halves hinged together by hinges 5, also shown in detail in Fig. 2 as consisting of thin sheet metal of substantially U-shape having inturned ends embracing portions of the two halves so as to permit the two halves to bend or pivot together.

One of the two halves will now be described and it consists of a back or central portion 6, and a shoulder portion 1 running into an arm portion 8 connected in turn to a body portion 9, from which the bottom portion In leads to the back portion 6. Each half may be constructed of a single piece of wire or rod material soldered, welded or otherwise suitably fastened at its ends to form a. single, endless portion of suitable outline of Monel metal or other rustless material suitable for the stretcher. Intermediate the arm portions 8 and the body portions 9, there is provided a recess or opening ll extending towards the shoulder or neck portion, for the purpose of permitting the garment to be slipped onto the stretcher as will be described. Adjacent openings ll, there are provided braces l2 soldered or otherwise secured between the two portions of 50 the stretcher.

Adjacent the ends of arm portions 8, there are provided reinforcements l3, and likewise adjacent the bottom portions I0 there are provided reinforcements M, which not only serve to strengthen the two halves of the stretcher but (c1. 22s s9) To maintain the two halves of the stretcher in extended position, there is provided a latch iii pivotally mounted at I! on one of the neck or shoulder portions 1'. Latch it has a portion I I6 slightly reduced in size, this reduced portion serving to clip over the adjacent neck or shoulder portion 1, as shown in the dotted line in Fig. 1, and thereby hold the two halves of the stretcher in extended position.

The operation of my device is as follows: The two halves are bent so that the arm portions 8 approach each other. A sweater or other garment to be dryed or otherwise shaped is then slipped over the two arms 8, the arms 8 being entered each separately in one of the arms of the garment. The bottom edge of the garment enters into the openings or recesses II, which permits close approach of the edge of the garment to the collar or neck portion 1, and thus permit the bottom of the garment to be slipped over the neck or shoulder portion 1 without stretching or undue elongation. The body portion of the sweater or garment is then drawn down over the body portions 9 of the stretcher, and the ends of the arms and the bottoms of the body portions are fastened either to the ends of the arms 8 and to the bottom portions ill or to the reinforcements I3 and M, respectively, the reinforcements permitting garments of various sizes to be used. The two halves of the stretcher are then opened into the position shown in Fig. 1 and the latch [6 moved into the path shown by the dotted lines, so as to engage the opposite neck or shoulder portion 1 and to thereby retain the stretcher in opened position. The stretcher and the garment thereon may then be hung by hook l5 in any desired location.

I do not intend to be limited save as the scope of the prior art and. of the attached claims may require.

I claim:---

1. A garment stretcher comprising in combination, two halves each forming an arm portion half of a neck portion and half of a body portion in outline, and hinges pivotally securing the two halves together, said halves being provided with openings in the outline between said arm portions and said body portions and. extending inward from the side edges of the body portion and of the arm portion of the stretcher to permit garments to enter said openings as said garments are placed on said stretchers.

2. A garment stretcher comprising in combination, two halves each having in outline an arm portion half of a neck portion and a half of a body portion, hinges securing said halves together so that the arm portions may pivot toward and away from each other, and a latch fastened on one of said halves to retain said halves in open position, said halves having openings in the outlines thereof extending inward from the side edges of the body portion and of the arm portion of the.

stretcher to permit a portion of a garment to enter said openings and thus be placed on said stretcher without stretching or elongation of said garment.

3. A garment stretcher comprising in combination, two halves each having an arm portion half of a neck portion and half of a body portion, and hinges securing said halves together so that said arm portions can be moved about said hinges toward and away from each other, said halves having openings therein extending inwardly from the side edges of the body portion and of the arm portion of the stretcher to receive in said openings portions of garments being placed upon said stretchers, and said arm portions and said halves of said body portion having adjacent their extremities and within the outline reinforcements for' strengthening the stretcher at those points and providing means for attaching garments to the stretcher at those points.

4. A garment stretcher consisting of two portions each composed of a single endless rod or wire, each portion having a part thereof forming a half of a neck portion and a half of a body portion, and each portion having an opening or recess in the outline thereof extending inwardlyfrom the side edges of the body portion of the stretcher and providing for the reception of the bottom or edge of a garment being slid onto said stretcher, hinges of substantially U-shaped sheet metal having inturned ends surrounding parts of said portions and attaching said portions together to form a stretcher having a pivotal connection, a latch mounted on one of said portions adjacent the pivotal connection between said portions and large enough to extend in one position so as to engage a part of said other portion to hold said stretcher in open position, and a hook connected to said stretcher on which said stretcher may be supported.

5. A garment stretcher'consisting of two portions each composed of a single endless rod or wire, each portion having a part thereof forming an arm portion and a half of a body portion, hinges connecting said body portions together so that said arm portions are foldable toward and away from each other, and rods or wires extending across said arm portions and across said body portions adjacent the ends thereof and within the circuit or" said single endless rods or wires for strengthening the stretcher at those points and providing means for attaching garments to the stretcher at those points.

MARGARET BURGWIN BROOK. 

